Wheelchair basketball is coming to Reading
Shakila Barabhuiya • Published 10 Feb 2012 09:30
0 Comments
DISABLED athletes are being urged to get involved with Thames Valley Rockets - the new wheelchair basketball club set up in Reading in conjunction with Reading Rockets.
The club hopes to attract new players and open up disabled sport in Berkshire with the first taster session taking place at Rivermead Leisure Centre on Sunday, February 19 from 9.30-11.15am.
Adults and children of all ages and abilities are welcome and players do not have to be full-time wheelchair users.
Custom-made wheelchair basketball chairs will be provided and participants can practice skills and play matches.
Reading Rockets director of coaching Matt Johnson has worked with volunteers at Thatcham-based Thames Valley Vikings to bring about this exciting new project.
Johnson aims to wash away the myth of the sport only being for severely disabled people who are wheelchair bound, as able-bodied people with knee injuries or back problems can be involved too.
Speaking exclusively to the Chronicle, he said: "Wheelchair basketball is an incredible sport to be involved with.
"It doesn't matter the level of disability because there's a ranking system so you're always playing on the right level.
"It encourages different types of disabilities to play together."
He added: "I'm sure this could be life changing for a number of young people and their families - it's a chance to be independent and to get things going for kids and adults who feel being in a wheelchair is limiting."
The rules of wheelchair basketball are very similar to basketball - the court is the same size, the basket is at the same height, and the scoring is identical.
Players move the ball around the court by passing or dribbling, and are required to throw or bounce the ball after every two pushes of the wheels on their chairs to avoid being penalised for travelling.
There are 12 players in each team, with no more than five on court.
The sport embraces a wide range of disabilities including paraplegics, spina bifida, amputees, brittle bones, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis in addition to able-bodied players.
Jacqueline Cass, founder of Thames Valley Vikings seven years ago, received an MBE last year in recognition of her services to wheelchair basketball.
She said: "We are the only league club in Berkshire. We want to get more people involved in wheelchair basketball.
"It's a great way for anybody with disabilities to play wheelchair basketball competitively."
Speaking of the benefits she said: "The juniors have learnt to push their chairs better, have a greater awareness of how their body moves.
"It also helps with stability and strength.
"Hopefully with the Paralympics on everybody's mind, it will really help to grow the sport in Berkshire."
Wheelchair basketball featured at the first Games in Rome in 1960, and has remained on the Paralympic programme ever since, becoming one of the country's most popular sports.
The women's competition was added at the Tel Aviv Games in 1968.
For more information contact the Reading rockets hotline on 0118 9263040.
Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.
